camel

noun

cam·​el ˈka-məl How to pronounce camel (audio)
plural camels
1
: any of three large ruminant (see ruminant entry 1) mammals (genus Camelus) that have one or two large humps of stored fat on the back and are used as draft and saddle animals in desert regions especially of Africa and Asia:
a
: the one-humped camel (C. dromedarius) extant only as a domestic or feral animal : dromedary
b
: the 2-humped camels (C. bactrianus and C. ferus) of desert and steppe regions of northwestern China and southwestern Mongolia : bactrian camel
2
: a watertight structure used especially to lift submerged ships
3
: a light yellowish brown
4
a
: camel hair sense 2
"… So we're going to look for more luxury fabrics—cashmere, camel, alpaca and … lambswools."Paul Diamond
usually used before another noun
a genuine camel coat
b
: leather made from the skin of a camel
They all have four-digit price tags and are crafted from luxe leathers like buffalo, calfskin and camel.Georgina Safe
usually used before another noun
camel leather

Illustration of camel

Illustration of camel
  • 1 dromedary
  • 2 Bactrian camel

Examples of camel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the camel’s neck gets under the tent much more easily after its nose is already sniffing around. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2025 Its timeless, seamless design punctuated with a tiny metal buckle was reinterpreted in a rectangular shape that marked the first East-West style by the brand, as well as offered in new colorways like camel, navy and gray khaki. Lily Templeton, WWD, 12 Mar. 2025 Runaway camels and primordial volcano tremors make for clumsy attempts at literary symbolism, but such details — combined with a tourist culture that seems frozen in the ’80s, and a Dascha Dauenhauer score rooted in classic noir — contribute to the feeling of a place unstuck in time. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 18 Feb. 2025 In many households, children collect grass for the wise men's camels and leave it in a shoe box beneath their beds. Frank E. Lockwood, arkansasonline.com, 15 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for camel

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English & Anglo-French, from Latin camelus, from Greek kamēlos, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew gāmāl camel

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of camel was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Camel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/camel. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

camel

noun
cam·​el ˈkam-əl How to pronounce camel (audio)
: either of two large cud-chewing mammals used for carrying burdens and for riding in desert regions especially of Africa and Asia:
a
b
: a two-humped camel of central Asia

called also Bactrian camel

More from Merriam-Webster on camel

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